Table



H. J. SLOAN 1 July 23, 1940.

TABLE Filed Nov. 18, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR .SZoaw (2, 4 (M '"""-r ATT RNEY H. J. SLOAN July 23, 1940.

TABLE Filed NOV. 18. 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 iomnw 1 INVENTOR Jlwlgh/Jloan/ BY v z a 2 7 5 g ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. v

Hugh J. Sloan, Waynesville, N. 0.,

assignor to William S. Sloan, Wilson, N. C.

' Application November 18, 1937, Serial No. 175,313

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in tables, it being a particular purpose to so improve bridge tables as to enable the simultaneous opening of all of the legs, without having to turn the table from side to side and open each leg individually. It is common knowledge that the latter practice prevails and the troublesome feature lies in the probability of swinging the various legs into the path 0 f furniture, thus obstructing the motion, or swinging the leg against some person.

It is readily understood that when the, operation of individually opening each of the four legs of a bridge table is multiplied by two or three and often more tables, considerable annoyance arises from the loss of time thus represented. With the initially stated purpose in 'mind, the objects of the invention are as follows:

First, to so locate the leg-opening mechanism of the table that it forms a brace for the lgsin a plane below the table top/and to supplement said bracing leg-opening mechanism with a, locking bar which holds said mechanism rigid until released by hand.

Second, to provide a turnable leg-opening mechanism which is held at the limit of its opening movement by a locking bar which holds said mechanism under a degree of tension, thus causing the latter to exer cise the previously 'mentioned bracing function. T T Third, to provide a falling and rising tray as a supplement to the bridge tableland to the legopening mechanism th ereof, said tray being attached to said leg-opening mechanism so, that it automatically lowers into. a useable position when said mechanism opens the legs, and automatically raises to a nested position close to the nether side of the table top when said mechanism is employed to close the legs. I

Fourth, to provide a hinge coupling "which is centrally secured beneaththe tabletop and has the central spider swiveled to it for the purpose of producing uniform opening and closing movements and to guard against any binding in the leg-opening mechanism because of the centralization of the spider.

Other objects and advantages will'iapp ear in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying d Figure '1 is a perspective view from beneath the improved table, showing the legs in the open position.

rawingsjin whichz' Figure 2 is a iractionalsection. taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a detail ed perspctiiiej w of a the table "l-'| of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view of the hinge coupling, particularly showing its swivel connection to the central spider.

Figure 9 is a detail cross section taken on ther 1 line 99 of Fig. 2.

In carrying out the invention the table gen-' erally designated I comprises the table top 2, a flange 3 which is continuous and depends from all four sides of the top, and a set'of legs 4. Each,,,20 of these legs is hinged at 5. According to the present showing the uppermost leaves 6 of these hinges are secured to fillers 'l which are attached to the underside of the top 2 (Fig. 6). However, it is to be understood that the use of these 25 fillers may not always be essential and that it is" entirely within the province of the invention to connect the leaves 6 directly to the top 2.

i It will be seen in Figures 1 and. 5 that the various hinges 5 are stationed in positions difier- 30 ing by degrees from each other when tracing to seat over the, angle irons whenin the open' positions (Fig.1). This notching of the legs is intended to show that the legs are tightly positioned in the corners when open, and it is one of the purposes of the leg-opening mechanism to 45 jam the legs in these corners so as to insure as nearly as perfect rigidity as can be obtained with a construction of this kind.

The foregoing leg-opening mechanism is generally designated ID. The term is adapted as a 50 matter of convenience. Its function is not solely to cause the opening of the legs, but also to cause their closing. The opening and closing operations are accomplished simultaneously respecting all of the legs. Each leg has a link l.l connected 55 to it by a hinge 12. The leaf I3 of this hinge the to 2 is rathe'rifrail', thefpres'ent embodiment in accordance with the opening "(Fig. 2) and said sur facesj if. theglojcking; bar.lfwerelactually on the 'stud 25; there being nobodily turning of Straight/- ,the hinge couplingat to the spider I8 serving a's'the main I claim leg 4. The manner in which the turning is acleg upon its hinge, there must be the provision 'by a hinge coii'pling 120 (Fig. '2 which epends 'foundation; "It is"'fro'm this plate foundation i that thecouplingifi depends and the latter is corresponding knuckle plat'e'-' .24 is .swiveled to .the hub l9 by means of a pendant two-diameter stud. 25, the large part of which is turnably fitted ly connected-leaves 29,3the entire assemblage .straighten' thelo'cking barf. out (Figfl "line 38. (Fig. 5) which would. otherwise actuator of the leg-opening mechanism it also provides the support of a tray which in this instance is made in the form of a meshed wire plate 39 (Fig. 1), the ends of the wire being crimped around or otherwise attached to a binding hoop which, in turn, is secured beneath the spider. The spokes of the spider therefore serve as dividers of the tray, partitioning the places allotted to for turning at the hinge I 2,inasmuch as thedink the players around the table.- A plain hoop 4| ll does not depart from its horizontal position is attached on top of the spider, said hoop proshown. viding a guard which will aid in preventing At their opposite ends the links II have hinge. i: ;=knocking off glasses or packages that have been connections I6 with the'terminal heads ll of a laid upon the tray 39. central spider I8. The leaves of the hinges I6"are""""adapted to be moved into position (dotted lines) rigidly attached to the respective links and ,}-ter-.-...; ac sa or n, of the Spider to hold the mechminal heads, preventing any tendency toward; anismlll in its closed position. undesired relative turning. s The spider resembles e p at is a y l dG tOOd. When the spokes of a wheel'which radiate from a, the table is closed all of the various parts are hub l9. housed approximately as shown in Fig. 6. At This hub, infact the entire spider, is supported t s. p in t isd s d' .1 0 e p hat O SI 0f (Fig.3) is, firmly secured to the link II but the leaf I 4 is turnably secured at I5 to the adjacent complished is immaterial, the important thing to be borne in mind being that as the link II exerts opening or closing pressure to swing the fronithe undersi'd'efo f ,thetcp' 2. Inasmuch as e t tuh aro an l metal. h l ss the spider I 8 is of channel construction. 1 This ma es for lightness and strength, but the statement of this particular material is notto be considered a limitationbecause the table and its various parts can be constructed of any desired te -i i X :p

Now reverting to the operation. The cl'eat 42 (Fig. 5) can be moved; to the full line position prior to lifting the table preparatory to opening thelegs. The latterare held inplace by bringing of the inventionbeing in acard' table,'saidtop is desirably fortified by aplate II, which is. independently seeured to the}, top 2 by enough screws Z'Zo'r theirequiv'alents to provide a firm carefully located in the center of, the top so that the turning motion of the'l'eg-opening' mechanism. will produce absolutelyluniform 1 responses in each of the legs' 1 A knuckleplate 2 3.'(Fig.' 8) 'is'afiixed to the foundation platezl for example by welding; A

tal position-preparatory to being set up, the entire leg-opening mechanism lfl will drop from. the in a hole. 25. i'n:the hub, the small part receiving n s ed p i n in 6 t0 he e endedposia Washer Z'I'Which' is followed by anut 28 that is screwed'on its threaded end.

which causes the,opening of the legs 4. These The knuckle plates 23, 24, arejoi'ned, by hingedswingon their'hinges 5 and as they do the spider I8 makes a partial turn on the central axis rep- .(Fig. ,8); constituting the previously "mentioned 'e e lifi ii byi ud h s ac ion can be hinge coupling.-;. ,So .far itcan. be seen that thehinge coupling sets'in a fixed positionrelative to the table top 2. 10f jcourse the leaves 29 swing spider I8 drops it makes a turn in the direction of arrow a. The extent of the turn is approximately degrees; any one arm of the spider closing (Fig. .6)}'operations, but they do not depart from their relatively fixed position, the necessary turning ofthe'c'entral spider. [8 being confined to the swivel 25, 26.

When the legs are moved tov the open position (Fig. 1) itis necessaryto hold them against. the possibility of collapsingtothe closed-position, and this is accomplished by a 'locking .--b'ar 30. This consists. of the .two elements ,3I, '32', which are. hinged ftoge'tl' er at ;33".(Fi g."5) and hinged at theirextremitiesjto an adjacent link .I I and to an arm ofthe spider I8, as at 34, 35. The hinge 33'is' a spring hiriga'the Springfifi (Fig. 4) vof whi'ch'is strong enough.to -perpetuallytend to open the elements, 3,I,.32, in other wordsqto 33 following arrow d, and when said position is '(Fig. 4)) holds the locking bar sowthat it will not moveba'ckward unless pulled upon preparatory to reo'losing. i

In this'operation the previously nested tray But v wheh,the locking.bar is moved-to the socalled straightenedposition it is actually slightly out of line so. as to avoid the.. possibility ofjthe bar being readily'broken. For'lthis purpose the abuttable-ends 3'l,(Fig. 5) are out OK at less than a' right'ang'le. 'fIhere -i's a resulting'pitch of the adjacent 'surfaces of the elements/3 l 32 below the representreach under and set glasses, packages and the like'upon the tray and outof .the way. It is also during this operation that the .121],opensjfull as in Fig. 2. Theleave's 29 remain angled so as not to"o-bstruct the later closing movement. Alli-turning. of the spider I8 occurs In addition A pivoted cleat 42 is.

linkslll and elements 3|, 32 are' tubular while the fingers of t he han.ds under the legs on-oppositesides. When the fingers of these handsare moved away and the table is held in the horizontion in- Fig. 2. Thus it is a gravity operation readily. understood from Fig. 5. As the central dotted line position at the" reached the natural tendency of the spring 36 39 'is'let down to the accessible'position shown in Fig. 2. The players seated around'the table. can

hinge couplin 20 the"leg-opening'mechanism I0-is constructed of moving from the full 'lineito the dotted line posi- I tion. Duringthis turnthe link II (referringto 1. A .table comprising a substantially square top, legs which have hinges connecting them to the approximate corners of the top, a coupling which includes a foundation plate that is aflixed to the top in a centralized position, said coupling including hinged leaves which have common connection with a central stud, a leg-opening mechanism comprising a central spider'which is turnably mounted on the stud, links interposed between the arms of the spider and adjacent legs, hinges connecting the links to said arms, and hinges connecting the links to the legs, those leaves of the latter hinges which touch the legs having turnable connections thereto.

2. A table comprising a top, a set of legs respectively located at equi-distantly located places and having hinges which connect them tothe top, a coupling depending from the top in a centralized position in respect to the hinges, said coupling being constructed to open and close and including a stud, which moves away from and toward the top inthe opening and closing movements, a spider journalled on the stud so that it can turn, links which have articulated connections at their ends with the arms of the spider and with the legs so that the legs swing to open and closed positions in correspondence with said coupling and with the turning of the spider, and a locking bar which has two elements having their remote ends hinged to one of the links and one of the spider arms, the inner ends of said elements being connected by a hinge which has a spring tending to lock the bar to an open and bracing position.

3. A table comprising a top, a set of legs which have hinges connected to the top at equi-distantly spaced points and to enable the legs to be swung to open and closed positions in reference to the top, leg-opening mechanism which is operable to open and close the legs, said mechanism including a turnable spider, links hinged at their ends to the spider and to the legs to extend the legs upon turning the spider, and a tray attached to the underside of said spider utilizing .the spokes of the spider as dividers of the tray.

HUGH J. SLOAN. 

